In Brief
This case concerns whether Shri Ram Mandir in Indore is a public or private temple. The appellant, claiming to be the Mahant, sought a declaration that it was a private temple and an injunction against State interference. The High Court and appellate court found the temple to be public, with pujaris (priests) merely performing worship duties. The Supreme Court upheld this finding, noting that: properties are recorded in the temple's name, not the pujaris'; succession followed the Guru-Shishya (master-disciple) tradition without family blood relations; the State appointed pujaris; and the appellant himself paid lease fees to the Government, estopping him from denying State control. The appeal was dismissed, affirming the temple's public character and the State's rightful management authority."
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